What If?

I would like Wednesdays to be "What If?" days. 

I have about a thousand "What If?s" I'd like to explore.  It's liberating to imagine things in new ways with new light cast upon them.  It opens up the creative side of things to push pause on what is and think about what might be.

Today's "What If?" is around the notion of worship.

What if....churches, like restaurants, offered their product (worship) many times per day and many days per week? 

What if...the goal wasn't ever-larger worship services, but rather, ever-more intimate, smaller worship?

What if...pastors and musicians quit talking/singing/playing every so often, got out of the way and let God take the floor?

What if...clergy 'fessed up and admitted that they don't have any magic powers over the elements at communion?  I mean, c'mon!?  If the lay people read the words of the communion liturgy and invited the Holy Spirit to be present...would the Holy Spirit say, "Nope. I ain't coming unless an ordained clergy person asks me to."

What if...we began each service with these words, "Lord, this next hour is not about me.  Allow me, Lord, to live for others for the next 60  minutes.  Allow me, Lord, to love the people standing around me more than I love myself.  Inspire me, Lord, to lay down my life for others right now.  You know, Lord, I love praise music, but for this hour, let my voice be lifted up in praise through the hymns that make Mr. Smith so happy."  "You know, God, I don't really like the music parts of worship that much; I love to hear the Word.  But for this hour, I offer up my happiness and sing each song with gusto because I know how much Elise finds joy and comfort in the songs of faith."

What if the greatest benefit and joy in worship came, not when our desires were satisfied, but when we sacrificed our desires for the good of the people we call brothers and sisters in faith?

What if...we looked for everything that was right in worship and forgave all that fell short or was wrong?

What if...we really wanted God to bring people into our communion...and we really meant "all people."  Even the sick, the damaged, the poor, the different, the difficult. 

What if...I could come to worship with all my doubts and nagging questions and not feel the need to pretend I am completely in sync with the other "good Christians?"

What if...we just laid to rest the concept of "good Christian" altogether? 

What "What If....?" would you add?